This invention relates to a device for giving an alarm for failure to draw or pull out an engine key for a vehicle.
Conventionally, as the device of this kind, there is an embodiment disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid Open No. 159159/88.
This embodiment is essentially constructed to form a series circuit by a door switch which is turned ON when the door is opened, a key switch which is turned ON when the engine key is inserted into the key cylinder, and an alarm unit, thus to supply a power to the series circuit by a drive power supply of a door-lock actuator which is activated in response to a door lock-operation.
However, the above-mentioned embodiment has the problems recited below.
(1) By a relatively simple construction utilizing an existing circuit, an alarm for failure to draw out an engine key for a vehicle can be given. However, even if a procedure is taken to simply open the door with the engine key being inserted into the key cylinder, the alarm unit does not produce an alarm. To provide an alarm, the door lock-operation must be necessarily conducted.
Accordingly, when a driver has closed the door without carrying out the door-lock operation, there are instances where there may occur failure to draw out an engine key.
(2) The engine key is of an ordinary type in which the key body includes a plurality of engagement portions.
Accordingly, reproduction is easy.
Further, the key cylinder lock may be also subjected to picking.
Therefore, an intention of preventing a failure to draw out an engine key as well as an intention of indirectly preventing burglary of a vehicle cannot be sufficiently attained.